


The Beauty Inside

by alyssamichellewriting (orphan_account)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Childbirth, Children, F/M, Forced Marriage, Loki Angst, Magic, Marriage, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-10
Updated: 2015-05-09
Packaged: 2018-01-24 06:48:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1595525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/alyssamichellewriting
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Princess Katerina Kriegel of Alfheim gets betrothed to Loki, Prince of Asgard. Loki, known for his tricks of magic on others, expects a fragile pretty girl who is a stereotypical princess. What he did not expect was pretty Katerina who is not afraid to speak her mind – even to the Prince of Asgard. Discovering her magic, Loki concludes that marrying Katerina may not be a bad thing at all…. [Pre-Movies, will eventually work itself into Thor, The Avengers, and Thor 2. Rating will change.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The God of Mischief

**Author's Note:**

> my first Marvel story, about the lovely Loki. i'm trying my hardest not to make Loki OOC to often.

Frightened, nervous and alone, young Katerina Kriegel of Alfheim flattened out her dress as she entered the carriage to take her to the castle of Asgard. It was surely stunning to Katerina; she has never seen anything like Asgard in her entire life. She would be calling Asgard home now for the rest of her life, thanks to her father for betrothing her. She was not happy of the arrangement between her father and Odin, the Allfather, but she would have to deal with it.

 

Katerina would not be marrying Prince Thor - she would be marrying Prince Loki. She had never met the man in her life, but from what she heard, he was not a pleasant person. There was a reason why he was called God of Mischief and Katerina did not want to have to discover why.

 

“Lady Katerina, we have arrived.” the driver said. Katerina nodded as she was escorted out of her carriage. Once standing, she flattened out her dress once more as she followed the guards into the castle, and from there the throne room where she was greeted by Odin, Frigga, and Thor. Frigga was the one to greet Katerina. 

 

“Katerina, you have grown so much. I’m thrilled that you have made it into Asgard safely.” she said to her, hugging her softly. Katerina hugged her back, in spite for not knowing what else to do.

 

“Thank you my lady. Asgard is beautiful.” Katerina replied, not knowing what to say. Frigga laughed lightly at Katerina’s bewilderment and nervousness. 

 

“There is no need to be so nerved up child. Thor will show you to your room, where you can get cleaned up and changed to be presented to Loki.” she said to her comfortingly. Frigga’s words did not comfort Katerina, but made her more nervous to come face-to-face with Loki later on. 

 

“Thor, show Lady Katerina to her room.” Odin said from his throne. Thor nodded as he approached Katerina, asking for her arm. She slowly gave it to him as he walked her out and down a large hallway.

 

“Tell me Lady Katerina; when were you informed of the arrangement?” Thor asked her as they walked. 

 

“Two hours before I left. I only came of age today as well.” she said to him. Thor laughed loudly, startling Katerina slightly. 

 

“Nothing like trying to push you out.” he said to her. Katerina smiled as she laughed as well. 

 

“My father knows no boundaries. Anything to keep Alfheim strong of course.” she said to Thor. They were silent for a few moments before Thor spoke again. 

 

“When you are presented to Loki tonight… view him with an open mind. Not many people understand my brother, and to be honest, he is not to happy about this arrangement.” Thor said to Katerina. She sighed lightly as they approached a white bedroom door, pausing outside of it. “He may come around, he may not. Just be patient with him.” he said as he opened the bedroom door. 

 

“I will. Thank you, Prince Thor.” Katerina said to him. 

 

“It is my pleasure, Lady Katerina. I will be by in about an hour to retrieve you to come and meet Loki.” he said to her, ducking out of the room and leaving her to be by herself. Hanging up next to the bed was a lavender colored dress that she was to change into. Katerina sighed as she begun to change into the dress, and upon seeing how it fitted her curves perfectly, she smiled. She walked over to her balcony and stood outside to admire the view of Asgard. 

 

_‘I can get used to seeing this view everyday…’_ Katerina thought to herself as she looked down upon a group of warriors training below. Prince Thor was joining them now to watch as was Odin. Tired of watching people fight, she turned and went back into her bedroom, sitting at her vanity and looking at her face in the mirror.

 

Making sure nobody was around, Katerina muttered a few words to herself, then watched her hair make itself presentable. She smiled, being able to use her magic brought her joy. It was used commonly where she was from, but her mother told her to use it wisely. Typically she did not listen to her mothers advice anyways, but since she was trying to make an impression, she would. 

 

Katerina was nervous to meet the young, mischievous prince. She knew he was short tempered and that he had a thing for lying. She was nervous about what was going to happen when they did meet, although she was almost positive that he would not be happy about the arrangement. Or that he would act polite but then be rude to her when no one was around. Katerina told herself that she would be silent with him and only speak unless he spoke to her first as to not get on his nerves or test his patience. 

 

There was a knock on Katerina’s door, to which Thor came in slowly. 

 

“Lady Katerina, it is time for you to meet Loki.” Thor said to her. She nodded as she got up and walked over to him. “He is waiting in the dining hall with my parents. He promised to be on his best behavior.” 

 

“I prepared myself for anything to come at me. I am not expecting his ultimate kindness or acceptance. I am just expecting cooperation, and even that I feel would be asking to much.” she explained to the Prince. He chuckled at her as they kept walking to the dining hall.

 

“You would be right about that. I have a feeling that once he warms up to you, you will be a good wife for him.” Thor said to her. Katerina sighed softly at the mention of being Loki’s wife. “I told him to go into this with an open mind as well. He is not happy about it, but he said he would put his best effort forward.” 

 

“At least he is putting in an effort.” she mumbled. Thor smiled at her remark. He liked Katerina, he liked her very much. She would be good for him. The two fell silent as they approached the dining hall, Katerina getting more nervous by the second. As they proceeded further into the room Katerina was able to see Frigga, Odin, and who she assumed to be Loki standing there waiting. 

 

“Loki, this is Lady Katerina Kriegel of Alfheim, your wife to be. Lady Katerina, this is Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard, your husband to be.” Frigga said to the two as Thor and Katerina approached. The Katerina and Loki looked at each other silently for a few moments.

 

_It would be so much easier to resent this arrangement if she were not pretty. Damn._ Loki thought to himself. Katerina was truly a beauty with her olive-tinned skin and dark brown hair with complementing brown eyes, men were not ones to turn their heads from her. She had an hour-glass figure with curves in all the right places. Slowly he took her hand into his and brought it up to his lips, kissing the top. 

 

“My lady.” he said to her. Katerina smiled at his kindness and curtseyed herself to Loki. 

 

“Prince Loki.” she said back to him simply. 

 

“Please, just Loki is fine.” he said to her with a smile, a smile that Katerina couldn’t identify. _Damn, what am I supposed to say to him now to make me not sound like a fool? Think Katerina, think…._

 

“Then please, Katerina is just fine as well.” she said back to him with a smile that she attempted to make similar to his own. _If i am still standing, I must be doing okay with him._

 

“Well, the two of them seem to have everything under control. We should leave them be.” Odin said to his wife and Thor. Both Loki and Katerina started swearing in their minds as the King and Queen left the room slowly. Thor walked over to Loki first. 

 

“Behave, Katerina is nervous. Don’t frighten her.” Thor said to his brother.

 

“Now why would I do that?” he asked him. Thor gave him a serious looking, informing Loki that he meant what he said. “But yes Thor, I will behave.” he said back to him. Thor glanced back at his brother one more time before exiting the room, leaving the two alone. 

 

“I should have you know, I am not a people person.” Loki said to her honestly. 

 

“Neither am I, so this should be interesting. But if we are going to be stuck here together and forced into a marriage we might as well attempt to make something of it.” she replied back as Loki politely brought her over to a chair and sat her in it. He then pulled up a chair next to her and sat as well. 

 

“Tell me, how much surprise do you hold right now?” he asked.

 

“A good amount. I was confident there was to be yelling and cussing and tricks and magic involved.” she admitted to him. 

 

“Magic? What would you know of magic?” he asked with a scoff. Loki thought that surely a lady such as herself would not be meddling with magic like he does, she would be disowned from her family if she practiced such. 

 

“My mother possessed magic. Once she was discovered she was executed for possessing it.” Katerina informed him. “So I would say I know a thing or two of what magic is.” _Please don’t ask me if i posses magic, please don’t ask me if i posses magic…_

 

“Magic is common among highborn nobles here in Asgard. It is pity your mother and yourself did not come to Asgard earlier, she could have been spared.” Loki said, nonchalantly as if it meant nothing. 

 

“Yes, such a pity.” Katerina said back to him. Loki snapped his attention towards Katerina. 

 

“You dare speak to me in that tone?” he asked her, standing up over her dominantly, venom in his voice. Fortunately, nothing scared Katerina, so she stood up and looked at him as equally as he was looking at her and spoke to him with the same amount on venom in her voice as he was giving her. 

 

“Excuse me if I am actually able to speak my mind. I grew up raised by a king solely because he executed my own mother when I was 10. I woke up this morning on my 21st name day to find out what he was sending me off to Asgard to marry you. I was being separated from my father,  and all of my hand-maidens that have become my best friends. I have been through a lot in my life and today alone, _you do not frighten me Loki Odinson.”_ Katerina spoke to him. With that, she turned on her heel and walked herself to the polar opposite side of the room to keep her distance from the trickster/fiancee. The doors to the dining hall opened and Katerina turned to see Thor walking in and Loki storming out. 

 

“To be honest, I am surprised you both lasted this long.” Thor said to her. She laughed lightly. “So, what did he say? Did he threaten you?” 

 

“I told him off.” she mumbled. Thor roared with laughter. “What? Do you think I will stand for anything he tries to pull?” Katerina asked him.

 

“No, I do not think that. Which is why I think that once he warms up to you, you will suit him well.” 

 

“Do not count on that happening anytime soon.” Katerina said to Thor as she headed for the exit of the dining hall. 

 

“Try to find a common interest with Loki. Maybe magic?” Thor asked. Katerina stopped in her tracks and turned to Thor. “You did not think your father was going to warn us about your magic before you got here? He has told us in private. You will be protected. But Loki is not aware of your magic.”

 

“What makes you think Loki would be willing to do magic with me?” she asked him quietly. 

 

“He might not.” Frigga said from the doorway. “But I have a thing or two I want to show you. Loki comes to me everyday at about 4 noon to sit with me. If you come either before or after and he sees us practicing, he might take an interest.” she said to Katerina, who looked uneasily between Frigga and Thor. 

 

“If you say this will be a good idea… than I shall do it.” Katerina said to them. Frigga smiled at her kindly, as did Thor. She was not sure if this idea of hers would work at all, but she would be willing to try. 

 

Like Katerina said earlier, she might as well try to get along with Loki. Right?


	2. He's Charming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Katerina's dress: http://www.polyvore.com/katerina_marriage_announcement_dinner/set?id=148329709

Katerina looked into the mirror of her room nervously as she put her hair in a braid before her first official lesson in magic with Frigga. It was part of their plan to make Katerina more likable to Loki, hoping that he would wander in early as she is still there doing magic. Frigga thinks that this plan will work, she hopes that Loki, upon seeing Katerina not knowing much about magic, will try to teach her how to use it. 

 

Katerina walked off to Frigga’s chambers with two guards showing her the way. Today she was dressed in a simpler outfit with her hair in a bun that she did herself with her magic. Frigga told her to wear a training outfit because they would not only be learning magic today. Katerina felt odd in the outfit - she had never worn anything else like it before. 

 

The door was open when they approached and Katerina marveled at the chambers. There was a large balcony over looking the realm and the walls were painted gold, but decorated in silk colors that she assumed to be the Queen’s favorite - greens and blues. 

 

“Leave us. We have much work to do today.” she said to the guards. Both men left and closed the door behind them, leaving the two women by themselves. “I see you got my message as to what to wear. One important thing about being royalty is knowing how to defend yourself incase you have to.” Frigga explained to Katerina. 

 

“Father gave me training. He made me do it in my dresses.” Katerina told the Queen. Frigga laughed lightly at the girl, she was so young and knew not of much because her father kept her sheltered and cared more for her younger brother than her.

 

“Show me.” Frigga said to her, handing over a hand blade. Katerina took no hesitation with battling the queen. They fought for 5 minutes, Frigga simply wanting to see what the girl had to offer and Katerina determined to make herself stick out to the queen. “I’m quite impressed. I can see your father trained you well.” Frigga said as they sat.

 

“He wanted me to be able to defend myself.” Katerina stated to her as the two went over and sat down. 

 

“As any father would want for his daughter who possess magic. He wanted to make sure that you were able to defend yourself if someone found out.” Frigga said. Katerina nodded in agreement as Frigga moved her chair in front of Katerina’s. “Are you prepared for this?” she asked. Katerina nodded as Frigga turned her hands outward, Katerina doing the same to mimic her. “We will start with a basic little trick that I learned when I was a girl.” Frigga said to her. In a flash, a small ball of light appeared from her hand. 

 

“That could be useful…” Katerina said quietly. Frigga laughed lightly as she made the ball disappear. 

 

“It is very useful. You can also send it out to candles and lights to turn them on yourself.” Frigga said, doing that very same thing. She light the candle by making the ball in her hand and simply moved it towards the candle and the light traveled itself. “Focus on bringing your magic to your hand, and imagine your light coming out of it.” she said to her. Katerina inhaled deeply and did as she said. She focused herself on getting her magic into her hand first, feeling it within her move down to her hand and when she felt good enough, she imagined the light in her hand. Within seconds of imagining that, there was a small light ignited in her hand. It was not nearly as impressive as the Queen’s, but Katerina was impressed with her progress. 

 

“I did it!” Katerina said happily, feeling confident. The light got brighter as she felt better about herself. “I can’t believe I can do that…” she said once more. Clapping ensued from the direction of the door and Katerina jumped and her light went out, seeing Loki leaning against the door quietly. He had a small smile on his face and was clapping slowly for her. 

 

“Impressive. Is that your first trick?” Loki asked her. Katerina nodded. 

 

“She is more powerful than she thinks. She also fights almost as well as Lady Sif. A few more sessions of magic with me and she’ll be half as powerful as you.” Frigga said to Loki as he walked over to them. “Your lesson isn’t due to start for a little while longer.” 

 

“I came here in search of my fiancé, actually. Thor told me where to find her, i have something she would like.” Loki said. Katerina was puzzled, what could Loki possibly have for Katerina? Loki took her arm and stood her up. “I’ll be back shortly, mother.” he said. Frigga looked at her son sharply as they turned to leave together. Once in the hallway, Loki spoke to her. “You didn’t tell me you had magic.”

 

“It isn’t exactly a thing you casually bring up to a stranger.” Katerina said to him as they walked. 

 

“It is known across most realms that I have it. You should have said something about magic, and that you know how to fight. We have to practice both sometime.” Loki said to her. 

 

“I would like that. Now that i’m in a realm without people I know, i must be able to defend myself.” Katerina rambled without realizing. 

 

“Well if it gives me another opportunity to see you dressed like this…” Loki said to her. Katerina blushed, he was actually flirting with her and she was surprised. 

 

Meanwhile, Loki was cursing himself in his mind tor letting that comment out. How could he have been so foolish? He was still trying to make up his mind or not how to go into this arranged marriage. So far, he had to say, he liked Katerina a lot. She was pretty, she could fight, she possessed magic, and he even liked her personality. Katerina was not a force to be reckoned with and gave almost no attention to his title of prince, and he liked that oddly enough. Loki knew that he would not mind this arranged marriage at all. 

 

“What have you got for me?” Katerina asked as she noticed they were outside her chambers. Loki smirked as he opened the door. Upon the door opening, Katerina noticed three people whom she recognized immediately. “Alexandra, Mary, and Ivanna?” she asked them. All three girls turned around. 

 

“Don’t sound so damn happy to see us. We’ll just pack up our shit and move back home.” blonde-haired short little Ivanna said to Katerina. Katerina looked up at Loki happily.

 

“Well, go see them. I have to go back to my mother.” he said to her. Without thinking, Katerina threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. 

 

“Thank you so much Loki!” Katerina said, coming out of the hug and running to her friends. Alexandra was about Katerina’s height with dirty blonde hair and green eyes, Mary with bright red hair and the tallest one of them all, and Ivanna short and blonde. “I can’t believe you guys are here!” she said as they all hugged. 

 

“Well Loki came to the palace himself and demanded your father that we move to Asgard to be with you!” Mary said to them as they all sat together on Katerina’s bed. 

 

“Speaking of which - how dare you not tell us that you are marrying Loki!” Alexandra said to her. 

 

“I didn’t know until yesterday!” Katerina said to them. Then, she launched into a full fledged story of what happened to her yesterday. She talked about meeting the family and how Thor escorted her personally to everywhere she needed to be, and how Loki was charming but she told him off when he got snarky, and how she met with Frigga this morning to practice fighting and magic. Each girl had a different reaction.

 

“Katerina, Loki is seriously a keeper. Even though you have to keep him, he’s a good one if he came all the way to Alfheim and spoke to your father personally to have us delivered her and live with you.” Alexandra said to her, as she started to get up and go through her wardrobe to pick something to change into. 

 

“Can we meet Prince Thor?” Ivanna asked her. Katerina rolled her eyes. 

 

“Yes, i’ll introduce you to Thor after dinner tonight. Remember this dinner is important, Odin is announcing the marriage. Now i need a bath, i stink from fighting with the Queen.” Katerina said, getting off her bed. Ivanna went and started a bath for Katerina. “I can do it myself…”

 

“Yeah, but I know how you like it after you practice exactly. And i have bubble bath from home that i managed to snag.” Ivanna told her. Katerina declothed and stepped into her bath. 

 

“You guys can go get ready for dinner, i’ll be okay here.” Katerina said to them. All three girls nodded as they left and did their own thing as Katerina bathed herself slowly and got out to get herself ready. She dried off and changed into the dress that was left for her by Alexandra. The dress was a deep green and she rolled her eyes. Alexandra did that on purpose so that she and Loki should match. 

 

“That dress looks beautiful on you.” She heard from behind her. She jumped to see Frigga behind her. “Forgive me for startling you. Let me assist you. I have never had another female in the house.” she said. Katerina nodded as she sat down and Frigga did Katerina’s hair in a pretty, elegant bun by hand upon her head. “What was Loki’s surprise?”

 

“My hand-maidens and best friends from back home. He went to Alfheim and talked to my father to have them live with me.” Katerina told her. 

 

“Despite what everyone says, Loki is kind and charming. That was very nice of him to do for you.” Frigga said as she placed a necklace around Katerina’s neck. “This was given to me by my father when i was a girl. It goes perfectly with what you are wearing right now.” she said to her. 

 

“Thank you for the kindness you have been showing. I am grateful.” Katerina said to her. 

 

“You are very welcome dear. Come now, your ladies should be waiting for you by now to go and eat.” Frigga said. Both walked out of the room together and met Katerina’s ladies in the hallway. “Your seat is next to Loki, and your ladies all beside you. I must go now to meet with Odin.” she said to her as she walked off.

 

“Seems like she’s taken a liking to you.” Mary said to her as they walked together towards the dining hall. 

 

“She said there has not been another girl in the palace.” Katerina said, nerves growing as they approached the hall. Odin and Frigga were at the head of the table, Thor on Odin’s side and Loki on Frigga’s. A seat was open for Katerina to take and three seats beside that for her ladies. At the opposite end of the table was Katerina’s own father, King Tiberius, and his newest wife Annabelle. Beside her father was her oldest brother, who was inline for the throne, and then her younger brother and sister. Katerina sighed seeing her father. “Go and sit ladies, i’ll be there shortly. I must see him or else i’ll not hear the end of it.” 

 

“Look at you, all nice and what not.” her older brother Niklaus said to her. 

 

“You clean up nicely too, Nik. How much did father pay you to do that?” Katerina asked. 

 

“Katerina, please. You are in the presence of nobles of the highest.” her father said. Before Katerina could make a remark, Annabelle spoke up to stop the two from going any further.

 

“But Tiberius, Niklaus is right. Katerina does look very lovely.” Annabelle said.

 

“Thank you Annabelle. Queen Frigga actually helped me get ready. Well, I suppose I should go sit down next to my fiancé  and my ladies. I am sure i will see you later.” Katerina said. As Katerina walked by him, her younger brother Samuel tugged at her arm, looking up at her with sad eyes as was her sister Nina. They were about 10 years old and looked up to Katerina dearly, for even their older brother did not pay attention to them, nor did her father. 

 

“We miss you at the castle. Its boring.” he said to her. Nina nodded sadly in agreement.

 

“I miss both. I am sure that if you behaved well and asked father, he would let you visit Asgard.” she said to him nicely. She got up and walked to take her seat next to Loki.

 

“Can you and Nik just get along for once in your lives? Your father is right you know, you need to make an impression.” Mary said frustrated as Katerina sat.

 

“As soon as he pulls his head out of his arse.” Katerina said quietly to make sure no one heard. Loki chuckled next to her, trying to hold in a laugh. Katerina ignored him for a second to continue on. “The twins miss me. I told them if they are good they may visit Asgard.” 

 

“I did not know of more than one brother and sister.” Loki said to her. 

 

“Samuel and Nina are the youngest. Annabelle are their mother, but my father never really paid any attention to them because he gave his attention to myself and Niklaus, Nik to make sure he was ready to be king and myself to make sure i was suitable to get married off to whoever he chose.” Katerina explained to him. 

 

“Well you ended up with me. Poor choice on his part.” Loki joked as Odin stood up to speak, Tiberius standing up on the other end. 

 

“Thank you all for coming today upon the request of my family and Tiberius’. We called you here to announce the engagement of my son, Loki Odinson to Tiberius’ daughter, Katerina Kriegel. The wedding shall be in exactly one week’s time and will be held here, directly in Asgard. You are all invited to the ceremony. Both realms congratulate the couple and hope for many years of happiness.” Odin said to the table. People clapped for us and we got a “Huzzah!” from Thor across the table. Mary and Ivanna sighed adoringly at Thor from next to Katerina. “And now, let us feast!” 

 

Katerina had never seen a display of food appear in front of her like what she was being served now. The wine glasses filled themselves and the meats and vegetables were aplenty as people started to eat. Katerina picked her food and dug in to eat. She drank wine and laughed with her ladies for the night. When everybody was done, the table was cleared and everybody moved into the open space to dance and celebrate some more. Katerina and her ladies sat to the side for a moment to drink before they would dance.

 

“Dancing? No one informed me of this.” Mary said to her friends. 

 

“Watch out Mary, Prince Nik has been looking at you all night.” Ivanna said to her. Mary made a gagging sound as Nik came up to her. 

 

“Mary, may we dance? Just this once.” Niklaus said to her. 

 

“I suppose. Only once.” Mary said, getting up to dance with Katerina’s brother. 

 

“Oh god, the poor thing.” Katerina said to her ladies as the two walked away. As they laughed, Loki came up to Katerina from the side and took her hand. 

 

“Shall we dance?” he asked her. She smiled as she stood up, leaving her glass with Ivanna and walking away with Loki. “This is Asgardian. Just follow me.” he said to her. Slowly, Loki and Katerina danced to the music, Loki moving swiftly yet slow enough for Katerina to catch on. “You know, this may be a bit much, but if we are to be married, should we not be in the same chambers?” he asked her. Katerina’s heart skipped a beat. If Loki wanted to be in the same chambers, that meant that he actually took an interest in her and wanted to be with her. 

 

“Yes, I suppose so.” Katerina said to him. Loki flashed a charming smile down at his fiancé. After knowing this girl for just over a day, Loki knew that she was doing something to him. The old Loki would not be this charming genuinely unless he had to. Sure, in this situation he had to, but he was being genuine about it. 

 

“I’ll come to your chambers tonight after you are finished getting ready to sleep.” Loki said to her. Katerina nodded as the song finished and he stopped them from dancing. “I see a young one looking at you from behind. You are wanted.” he said to her. Katerina looked behind her and found Nina waiting for her. Katerina laughed and went over to her sister. 

 

“What’s wrong Nina? Are you not having fun?” Katerina asked her sister, going down to her level. 

 

“Father says that we have to go back tonight!” Nina said to her sadly.

 

“Well, you have schooling tomorrow. You can’t miss that or father will be angry. Do you remember the time i told him i went to schooling but I skipped instead?” Nina nodded to her sister, Loki doing his best to imagine Katerina skipped a schooling. “You wouldn’t want him to be angry like that, would you?” 

 

“No…” Nina said. Katerina kissed her sister on the forehead. 

 

“I’ll see you in a week, okay?” Katerina said to her sister.

 

“Okay, but can you teach me how to do that bun?” Nina asked. Katerina laughed at her sister as she stood back up and took her hand.

 

“I’ll see if Queen Frigga will teach me how, okay?” Katerina said. Nina nodded as she turned and went back to her father to leave with the others. 

 

“She looks up to you.” Loki said to her from beside her. 

 

“Both of the young ones do. No one ever gave them the time of day except for Annabelle.” Katerina said, letting out a small yawn. 

 

“You are tired. Let us retire for the night. I’m sure we’ll be busy for the rest of the week.” Loki said to her. Katerina nodded as he lead her out and brought her into her chambers. “I’ll be back soon.” Loki said to her, walking away. Katerina turned around and went inside, shutting the door behind her. Alexandra was setting out Katerina’s night clothes as she approached her. 

 

“Loki is staying here tonight.” Katerina said simply, sitting on her vanity stool frozen. 

 

“What?!” Alexandra said. 

 

“Loki said that if we are to wed, we should stay in the same chambers. I agreed. He will be back soon.” Katerina said to her friend. 

 

“Then you need to change!” Alexandra said to her, dragging her up and making her change into night clothes and throwing a robe on top of her. “Do you want me to do your bun?”

 

“Its okay Alexandra, you can go. Go back to the ball and dance.” Katerina told her lady. Alexandra nodded and left her alone. Slowly Katerina was dismantling the bun that the queen made to sleep when Loki came in and shut the door. He was in lounge pants and a regular shirt with a robe on when she was done. 

 

“No ladies?” Loki asked as he helped him self to her bed. 

 

“I told her to go back and dance. They’re all swooning over Thor from afar.” Katerina said, getting up and taking her robe off to sleep and going into bed. 

 

“If you are not okay with this, i can leave.” Loki said to her as they laid together in bed. 

 

“If i was not okay with this, I would not have accepted the offer.” Katerina said to him. He laughed as Katerina yawned again. Loki turned the lights off with magic and positioned her comfortably on the bed. 

 

“Go to sleep. We will be busy until next week.” Loki said to her. Katerina slowly nodded and might have mumbled something back to him, but she remembers none as she fell asleep.


	3. Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry it was so long! school's over and hopefully i'll be able to write more. enjoy the wedding!

A week later, Katerina was shook awake quickly in the morning. She groaned, rolling over onto her stomach as she was shook some more. 

 

“If you don’t get up soon you shall be late to your own wedding!” Ivanna said to her. Katerina rolled back over to face her friends. “Don’t you look swell.”

 

“Its the wedding today?” Katerina asked. Ivanna nodded as she dragged Katerina out of bed. 

 

“Wash yourself up now while everybody moves into here to prepare. Queen Frigga will be here any moment with servants and the dresses. Annabelle and Nina are on their way as well and the other girls are already working in your bath room.” Ivanna said to her. Katerina made way into her bathroom to see Mary and Alexandra running around setting up tables to prepare for the women to get ready. The dresses were all themed golden for Katerina’s ladies and Nina was to wear a green shaded dress, to go with the colors that Loki liked the most. 

 

“You look like hell, my god! Did you and Loki stay up all night? Even he looked tired when we woke him.” Mary asked. 

 

“Shut up.” Katerina said as she stepped into her bath to wash herself quickly. Stepping out, she took a towel and wrapped it around herself to dry as she got half-dressed, putting a robe on for later. 

 

“You look tired.” little Nina said, walking into the room. 

 

“Because I am.” Katerina said to her quietly. Nina laughed as Ivanna begun work on Katerina’s hair, drying it out first as Frigga walked into the room, already dressed fully to go. 

 

“Ivanna go get yourself ready, I will help Katerina.” Frigga said, shooing away Ivanna to help Katerina. “Covering up the circles is going to be a challenge. Did you start baby-making last night already?” 

 

“No, we just talked a lot about many things. He showed me some tricks as well.” Katerina said to Frigga. Frigga laughed lightly as she finished doing Katerina’s hair. “Nina, where is your mother?!” Katerina said in a panic, realizing that her stepmother was nowhere to be found right now. 

 

“Relax dear, i’m right here.” Annabelle said to her. Katerina calmed down seeing everybody there who needed to be and seeing them all getting ready. 

 

“We have 10 minutes until we need to be in the throne room for the ceremony. Katerina, get your dress on.” Frigga said, helping her up. Katerina rushed over to Ivanna and Mary, who had finished readying themselves and helped Katerina into her wedding dress and put her shoes on. 

 

“This is so hectic.” Mary said as they flattened the dress out to what it was supposed to be and clipped in the veil to her hair. 

 

“I’m sure the boys are not nearly freaking out this much.” Katerina said to her. 

 

“I saw Loki before I came here. He was actually nerved a little bit.” Frigga said, placing another necklace around Katerina’s neck. “Thor kept trying to tell him that he was happy for him and that Loki would do fine, but I think that made him worse. I think also because your father and Odin were also in the room with him.” she continued, making Katerina laugh. 

 

“Ladies, it is time to go.” Tiberius said from the doorway. All the ladies and Frigga left, Katerina going out last to walk with her father. “Katerina, I am proud of the woman you have become.” he said as he took her arm and they walked together to the edge of the throne room. 

 

“Thank you father.” Katerina said to him. 

 

“Your mother would be happy.” he continued. Katerina cringed on the inside. _Yeah, if only you hadn’t executed her yourself…_ She held in her comment as a musical company started playing. Tiberius held onto his daughter as they walked together down the massive isle in the throne room to the end. Katerina tried her best to not look around - doing so would make her more nervous. She did know, however, that the nobles and important citizens were in the front, but in the back were commoners and other people from the realm and others that were invited to watch. Looking ahead, Katerina saw Odin standing up high and Frigga next to him. Loki was a step down directly from him - dressed in an all-white suit rather than his usual ensemble. Thor was right beside Loki and opposite side was all of Katerina’s family. The walk to the front was long and draggy, but eventually they reached the front, where Tiberius helped her up the steps to Loki and left her. 

 

They had rehearsed the night before privately. Katerina had never seen an Asgardian wedding, so Loki taught her the night before what to do. She tried to remember her best as they went. 

 

_“First, we’ll join hands together when you come next to me.” Loki said to her, gently taking her hands into his. “Next, Odin will recite a few words, traditional really. Your father will come along next, agreeing to let me take you under my wing. Then, from a table behind him, Odin will give me your ring, and you mine. We shall exchange them and it will be over, after a final kiss.” Loki explained, faking the movements as he explained them, and laying a kiss on the forehead._

 

_“After that, we will typically go out on a balcony for all to see, although most people in the kingdom will be in here to watch it up front. We will only stay out there for a short period of time, for after the celebration begins. We feast, we dance, we have a good time.” Loki explained to her._

 

_“What about after?” Katerina asked curiously._

 

_“When you feel tired, we go to bed. Simple.” Loki said to her. She could tell by the look in his eyes that going to bed wasn’t all that he wanted to do the night of his wedding._

 

Loki took Katerina’s hand gently once more, like from the night before. Katerina tried to keep herself together - only now was she starting to feel nervous. She had been feeling okay the entire week before and even this morning, but now she was nervous. 

 

“I Odin, the All-Father, join my son Loki and Katerina Kregiel of Alfheim in this marriage between the realms, joining us together in a life-long alliance. With this marriage, they shall be by each other through life and death, the good and the bad.” Odin spoke to everybody. 

 

“I, Tiberius Kregiel of Alfheim, allow Loki of Asgard to take my daughter Katerina Kregiel from me.” Katerina’s father said. Odin reached back from behind and gabbed the two rings, exactly like what Loki had said, and gave one to each. Loki went first, gently sliding Katerina’s ring onto her finger and Katerina doing the same. 

 

“With those rings, you are both now united as a whole. You are now man and wife.” Odin said. Loki swiftly and quickly took Katerina in for a kiss together as a couple. Katerina tried to keep breathing as Loki kissed her passionately and intimately. It was something like she had never felt before and it frightened her a bit. Loki parted from her as she turned around to the clapping crowd of Asgard to see. Loki simply started them back down the steps, carefully to make sure that Katerina did not trip. Once again Katerina endured walking down the long isle, but with Loki at her side instead of her father she felt slightly at ease. What she did not want to do however, was stand out in front of the whole realm and have to act as regal as she could. 

 

“Don’t be so tense, my dear. Loosen up.” Loki said to her. She took a couple of big breaths and tried to listen to what he was saying, but she couldn’t. The only proper thing in her mind was that she needed to put on her best act to impress Asgard and even Loki. He planted a kiss on her cheek as they neared the front balcony to see the realm. Katerina forced a smile to her face as she saw the screaming crowd of Asgard below her. “Relax.” he said to her quietly in her ear. Katerina nodded as she made another attempt to calm herself down. They were out there only for a few more seconds before Loki brought her back inside. 

 

“I should feel relieved. But I am not.” Katerina said to Loki as they were whisked away once more towards the reception that was to last for hours. Katerina didn’t know if she could take it being there all night among nobles, royals and her father. She assumed that Loki would drink to make it easier for him but unfortunately Katerina didn’t have the luxury of being able to do that, being the woman and all. 

 

“All we have next to do is feast, dance, and drink a little. We can sneak away from the party if you feel much to overwhelmed.” Loki said to her. 

 

“I”m already overwhelmed. I have been since the morning.” Katerina said to him.

 

“Well this is something we must do. Believe me, it is not my doing.” Loki said to her as they neared the ballroom. It had been converted into the dining area as well for the guests who were able to attend the dinner and celebration, and was decorated in colors of purple, white, and gold. Katerina adored the elegance and beauty that the ballroom had been transformed into for her wedding. Loki and her took a seat at the main table, straight in the center. Katerina’s ladies followed next to her all in a row and she let out a breather knowing that it was not going to be her father sitting next to her. 

 

“Well you’re alive, so thats good.” Mary said as they sat. Katerina rolled her eyes as the wine started to be served and she started drinking. It was the only way she would get through the night. Next to her, Loki looked absolutely bored listening to Thor blab on about something that he obviously did not care about as food was served on the table, causing Thor to cut short their conversation as he started to eat. Loki looked relieved as he himself started to eat, hoping that his mouth being full of food would stop everybody from asking him questions and talking to him. Due to nerves Katerina was not all that hungry and ate very slowly. 

 

She knew that at this point, she did not have a reason to be nervous. She had wed Loki, they were married and there was nothing that either of them could do about it. He had not objected or put up a fight against the marriage, which made her feel very uneasy, for that was not the personality of the Loki she had been told about while she was growing up. Katerina had heard that Loki was manipulative and a liar to almost everybody that he had met, and she wondered why he had taken such a liking to her and why he had been so nice to her when she had assumed that he would not like her at all. 

 

Once the food had all been eaten, it was time for a dance. Loki and Katerina had the first dance all to themselves. They had no prior rehearsal, so Katerina just followed Loki’s steps and hoped that they looked like they had rehearsed it. 

 

“How about we get out of here after this?” Loki asked her. She sighed with relief as she nodded. Both Loki and Katerina were done with the festivities and were happy to try to leave the celebration as soon as they could. Katerina needed to sleep and Loki just needed to get away from the annoyance that is people. Slowly their dance came to an end and more people came onto the floor to dance the rest of the night away. Loki grabbed Katerina’s hand and whisked her away from the crowd and speedily down the corridor to their bedroom. 

 

“Thank the gods.” Katerina said once Loki had shut the door behind them, earning a chuckle from the god. She went over and sat on a chair to take off her shoes and place them on the ground. She unclipped her veil from her hair and put it into her lap. Loki was busy taking off his suit when he turned around to see Katerina making an attempt to get her dress off on her own. 

 

“Let me help, my dear.” He said, taking no time at all to cross the room and help her up to take the dress off. Katerina grew nervous inside her head, Loki was going to see her nearly exposed in only just a dress slit. She knew it was their wedding night and all, but she had buried the thought of wedding night ‘activities’ from her mind, not wanting to make her more nervous for her new role or anything else. They had been sleeping in the same chamber, but somehow Katerina knew that it would all be different after tonight. Slowly, Loki unzipped Katerina’s dress and helped her step out of it, Katerina throwing her robe on quickly so Loki wouldn’t see to much. 

 

“I’m going to lay down.” Katerina said to him, stepping away quickly and going over to the bed and under the covers. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Loki changed out of what he had left on of his suit and came next to Katerina. He took her into his arms and kissed her forehead gently. 

 

“You’re nervous.” Loki said to her. She nodded slightly as she settled into his embrace, feeling herself relax. “We can do this however you want. I am not in a rush at all. Its all up to you.” he said to her. 

 

“Everybody is expecting it.” she said to him. 

 

“Just because they are expecting it does not mean we have to comply straight away. If we are not ready than we are not ready, and everybody else will just have to accept it and move on.” Loki explained to her. Katerina nodded slowly as Loki slipped her robe off and laid her down under the covers. 

 

On the inside, Katerina thanked the gods that for whatever reason, Loki was not to her what she had been told from countless others. On the inside, Loki thanked the gods that Katerina was given to him. 

 


End file.
